VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Nearly 300 ran and walked in support of Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters on Saturday.
The CHKD Love Run celebrated 20 years outside Thalia Elementary.
The event, which offers a 5k and Fun Run, is unique in that the primary organizers are high school students from Princess Anne, Cox and Kellam High Schools.
"Everyone’s happy and we’re spreading love over Valentine’s Day to all the children that need it," said Elizabeth Castano, one of the organizers from Kellam.
This year's Love Run upped the ante from number 19 — increasing the fundraising goal from $20,000 to $25,000, but the teenagers behind the race were confident they'd reach it.
“My favorite thing about it is just seeing the strength of the community. Having all these people come out to support CHKD and support such an important cause," said Maura Graves from Princess Anne High School.
Handmade signs of support lined the end of the 5k route as runners finished and inside the elementary school gym, a Love "Row" rowing machine event helped add to the fundraising total.
Each year, students and the hospital pick different CHKD patients to honor. This year, it was for Charlotte Horwitz, the one-year-old daughter of two Virginia Beach City Public Schools employees.
She was born premature, but survived after spending time at the children's hospital in Norfolk.
